Electric refrigerator

ABSTRACT

An electric refrigerator comprising a cooling space in which a temperature sensor is arranged and which is closable by a heat-insulating door. The temperature sensor is connected to a device which regulates the cooling temperature and is adjustable by a temperature-setting device. The temperature sensor and the regulating device are disposed separately from the temperature-setting device inside or preferably outside the cooling space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an electrical cooling device, such as arefrigerator, having a cooling chamber which can be closed by aheat-insulating door and wherein a heat sensor is arranged forregulating the cooling temperature and is connected by a regulatingdevice with a temperature-preselection arrangement.

2. Discussion of Related Art

A refrigerator is taught by German Patent Reference DE 35 03 552 A1,having a back with an evaporator arranged and connected with acompressor. A capillary tube sensor is attached to the rear coolingchamber wall as the temperature sensor.

It is known to use an electronic regulator connected with an electricaltemperature sensor. The temperature sensor is arranged at an optimalmeasuring point at the inner rear wall of the cooling chamber and isconnected by an electrical cable with the electronic regulator. Theelectronic regulator is contained at an inner lateral wall in aregulator housing, which at the same time has a manually operablesetting wheel for setting the desired cooling temperature. A settingwheel is taught by German Patent Reference DE 94 20 648 U1, for example.

The temperature sensor, as well as the electronic regulatingarrangement, must be placed into special housings which are waterproofand at the same time strain-resistant. For retaining a satisfactoryregulating quality during its operation, the electronic regulatingarrangement is cast in a watertight medium and dipped in a protectivelacquer.

Such treatment of the electronic components is elaborate and thuscost-intensive. Furthermore, if the component housing becomes leaky,such an arrangement is also prone to malfunction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of this invention is to provide a cooling device whichassures dependable temperature regulation, along with a simple andcost-effective construction. The cooling device in accordance with thisinvention is intended to be distinguished by a simple and convenientoperation.

This object of this invention is achieved by an electrical coolingdevice as described in the specification and the claims of thisinvention.

The temperature sensor and the regulating device are arranged separatelyfrom the temperature-preselection arrangement. Here, the temperaturesensor and the regulating device are preferably arranged inside thecooling chamber, and the temperature-preselection arrangement outside ofthe cooling chamber. Thus the cooling temperature can be convenientlyset from outside of the cooling device. The door to the cooling chamberneed not be opened for resetting or checking the set coolingtemperature.

Thus it is particularly advantageous to provide the temperature sensorand the regulating device in a common housing. Mounting inside thecooling chamber is thus made easier and at the same time components aresaved. For providing a moisture-and waterproof housing of the electroniccomponents in the cooling chamber, the housing can be cast in awaterproof material and/or provided with a protective lacquer.

For production it is advantageous to integrate the temperature sensorand the regulating device into a common printed circuit board. Housingthe temperature sensor and the regulating device in an integratedcircuit results in a relatively small size. Such an arrangement can beeasily inserted in a common housing and sealed.

In connection with one simply constructed embodiment, thetemperature-preselection arrangement can have a potentiometer with asetting wheel which can be manually actuated and on which the desiredcooling temperature can be easily set.

One embodiment of this invention will be explained in greater detail inview of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The FIGURE shows a cooling device in a lateral and basic sectional view.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The cooling device has an inner cooling chamber 12 which is closed atone side by a cooling chamber door 10. The cooling device shown is ahousehold refrigerator.

A flat evaporator 30 is arranged at the rear of the cooling device andis connected with a compressor 28 via a system of tubes. The compressor28 is connected via an electrical conduit to a housing 20 arrangedinside the cooling chamber 12.

The housing 20 contains an electrical printed circuit board 20, on whichan electrical temperature sensor 14 and the temperature-regulatingcircuit 18 are housed. The arrangement comprising the temperature sensor14 and the temperature-regulating circuit 18 can also be arranged in anintegrated circuit. Such an IC chip can be produced in a cost-efficientmanner, particularly in large numbers, and is of a particularly smallsize, so that the housing surrounding it can also be designed small.

The housing 20 is waterproof and is cast in a strain-resistant materialat the same time. Synthetic resin or a similar plastic material are usedfor this purpose.

The temperature-regulating circuit 18 is connected by an electricalsupply line with a temperature-preselection arrangement 16 arrangedoutside of the cooling chamber at the front with the door 10. Thetemperature-preselection arrangement 16 has a potentiometer 24, whichcan be manually adjusted by a setting wheel 26. The potentiometer 24 iswired together with the temperature-regulating circuit 18 so that apreselected temperature can be set by a graduated dial.

In another embodiment, the temperature-preselection arrangement 16′ canalso be arranged inside the cooling chamber.

A multiple-contact switch can also be provided in place of thepotentiometer 24, which allows preselection of the temperature inpredefined temperature steps. A graduated scale, which represents theset temperature, can also be provided on the multiple-contact switch.

1. An electrical cooling device, having a cooling chamber (12), whichcan be closed by a heat-insulating door (10), and wherein a temperaturesensor (14) for regulating the cooling temperature is arranged and isconnected by a regulating device (18) with a temperature-preselectionarrangement (16), wherein the temperature sensor (14) and the regulatingdevice (18) are arranged inside the cooling chamber (12) and areenclosed in a common housing (20), and the temperature-preselectionarrangement (16) is arranged outside the cooling chamber (12), theelectrical cooling device comprising: the temperature sensor (14) andthe regulating device (18) housed on a common electrical printed circuitboard (22), and the temperature-preselection arrangement (16) connectedby an electrical conduit with the regulating device (18).
 2. Theelectrical cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein thehousing (20) is at least one of cast in a waterproof material andprovided with a protective lacquer.
 3. The electrical cooling device inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor (14) and theregulating device (1 8) are housed in one of an integrated circuit and acontrol circuit with an integrated temperature sensor.
 4. The electricalcooling device in accordance with claim 3, wherein thetemperature-preselection arrangement (16) has one of a potentiometer(24) and a multiple-contact switch with a setting wheel (26) that ismanually operable.
 5. The electrical cooling device in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the temperature-preselection arrangement (16) has oneof a potentiometer (24) and a multiple-contact switch with a settingwheel (26) that is manually operable.